NBA Basketball

[barndog]

Tough loss tonight for Los Bulls. Third quarter was the game. I'm still confident they can do this in 6. It was bittersweet seeing Derrick Rose before the game - look on his face was very sad to see.

Onward to Philly.

[Luzwei]

Not to rub it in, but I said it's a series changer from the psychic stand point. Sixers looked confident, like they had a ton of it. And as much as people want to bring the record without Rose into the conversation, Bulls are not that good without him. Rose draws couple of defenders on him, CJ Watson or Lucas III don't.

[Luzwei]

[barndog]

Not to rub it in, but I said it's a series changer from the psychic stand point. Sixers looked confident, like they had a ton of it. And as much as people want to bring the record without Rose into the conversation, Bulls are not that good without him. Rose draws couple of defenders on him, CJ Watson or Lucas III don't.

You are right Lu - for now. I still see the Bulls getting past the Sixers. My original prediction was in 5 but I'll admit now that might have been over optimistic. They are definitely a different team with and without Rose - and neither CJ or JLIII can replace him. Game three will be telling. They were due for a letdown game - my hope is that last night's game was it and they will regroup.

[AnthonyCinder]

WHY AM I ROOTING FOR THE CELTICS??? Man, these are strange, strange times.

[Luzwei]

Not to rub it in, but I said it's a series changer from the psychic stand point. Sixers looked confident, like they had a ton of it. And as much as people want to bring the record without Rose into the conversation, Bulls are not that good without him. Rose draws couple of defenders on him, CJ Watson or Lucas III don't.

You are right Lu - for now. I still see the Bulls getting past the Sixers. My original prediction was in 5 but I'll admit now that might have been over optimistic. They are definitely a different team with and without Rose - and neither CJ or JLIII can replace him. Game three will be telling. They were due for a letdown game - my hope is that last night's game was it and they will regroup.

My biggest disappointment was in the effort dept. Yeah, sure, you lost your best player, but you can't loose your team identity in the second half. You know? Just look at Boston yesterday. Although, Pierce is to Boston what Rose is to Chicago and they didn't lose Pierce but they were without Rondo and Allen and still were the Celtics you know them to be.

[Luzwei]

I just rewatched that Griz Clips game and I'm still baffled how they lost that game. I have no clue what so ever how they scored only two points in the last 6mins or so. NO CLUE!

[Dr. Geek]

I just rewatched that Griz Clips game and I'm still baffled how they lost that game. I have no clue what so ever how they scored only two points in the last 6mins or so. NO CLUE!

From the looks of it, the Grizzlies changed their offensive scheme toward the end.

[AnthonyCinder]

Fuck, I hope the Grizzlies win tonight. I love Chris Paul, but I hate the fucking Clippers.

[Luzwei]

I just rewatched that Griz Clips game and I'm still baffled how they lost that game. I have no clue what so ever how they scored only two points in the last 6mins or so. NO CLUE!

From the looks of it, the Grizzlies changed their offensive scheme toward the end.

Unless they changed their scheme from throwing a ball into a basket to throwing a ball into the stands on every possession, they are more talented and better team than the Clips and should have made plays in the clutch. They just choked.

[Luzwei]

Fuck, I hope the Grizzlies win tonight. I love Chris Paul, but I hate the fucking Clippers.

Aren't you so much happier now the trade didn't go down as planned? As much as CP3 is a great player, Pau-Bynum duo is a thing of beauty.

[AnthonyCinder]

Fuck, I hope the Grizzlies win tonight. I love Chris Paul, but I hate the fucking Clippers.

Aren't you so much happier now the trade didn't go down as planned? As much as CP3 is a great player, Pau-Bynum duo is a thing of beauty.

For the record, I've always maintained, even at the time, that I didn't want that trade. I always thought we would ahve more potential as a team with the two seven footers than as a team with CP, Kobe and Bynum as the "big three." My love for Gasol is well documented.

I marvel at Chris Paul, have always really liked him, but I just didn't think his presence would mitigate what we'd be giving up.

What pissed me off about the trade was the way the league handled it, specifically, negating it after all the players involved were aware of the trade. It was the nail in the coffin ruining Lamar Odom. Not sure if he would have tanked so hard had he remained in LA, but it would have been cool to at least have him as a trade-able piece.

But yeah, long story short, I'm glad we still have Pau. Really fucking glad. Dude has quietly been playing phenomenally, completely unselfishly, and gets little credit. Jeff Van Gundy gets it, though.

[AnthonyCinder]

Pau-Bynum duo is a thing of beauty.

[Luzwei]

But yeah, long story short, I'm glad we still have Pau. Really fucking glad. Dude has quietly been playing phenomenally, completely unselfishly, and gets little credit. Jeff Van Gundy gets it, though.

I love that Mike - Jeff back an forth they have during their every broadcast. And the other day he mentioned how every player in this league should get a KB24 footwork DVD to learn/study from, as it's a thing of beauty. Agreed.

[grumpyoldman]

I don't get how anyone can hate the clippers. Its like wanting to beat up the skinniest little kid in school or something. I almost want to say "what have they ever done to YOU?!?!?!"

[AnthonyCinder]

I don't get how anyone can hate the clippers. Its like wanting to beat up the skinniest little kid in school or something. I almost want to say "what have they ever done to YOU?!?!?!"

I could write a treatise on why the Clippers are worthy of my hate.

[grumpyoldman]

Im actually curious to hear a reason just because I've never heard any before... I figured Lakers fans just ignored the Clippers the way Cubs fans ignore the White Sox....

[howiemarx]

I don't get how anyone can hate the clippers. Its like wanting to beat up the skinniest little kid in school or something. I almost want to say "what have they ever done to YOU?!?!?!"

You must be thinking of the Bobcats, way to go MJ.

Grizz will come back. Similar to LA they need to stick with playing inside out utilizing Randolph, Marc, & Speights, & quit forcing early shots that allow the opponents to run on them. Gay will get his points. Allen & Conley will get their steals.

Lakers are their own worst enemy. Building huge leads then losing intensity & focus. If they could stick to the game plan that builds these leads they would just roll over these teams. It's not like anyone is getting in foul trouble so far in this series.
Watching Pau & Bynum play together just seems unfair. Double team them, they make the pass or they get the & 1. Or triple team Bynum & let him embarrass them all.
Kobe will just continue being the best player in the game.

[Luzwei]

I don't get how anyone can hate the clippers. Its like wanting to beat up the skinniest little kid in school or something. I almost want to say "what have they ever done to YOU?!?!?!"

it's their owner for the most part. their decision making throughout the years, bad draft picks, bad trades and the "curse" they brought with their departure from Buffalo.

[AnthonyCinder]

Im actually curious to hear a reason just because I've never heard any before... I figured Lakers fans just ignored the Clippers the way Cubs fans ignore the White Sox....

OK, I'll give an abridged version.

I can see why people outside of LA wouldn't necessarily get the Clipper hate at first. I'm sure you're aware of the abundance of Laker hate in just about every city. It's fine, I get it. For my part, I'll explain what started my love for the team.

I was born, raised, and have lived most of my life in LA. When I was a kid, I was a total weirdo and didn't give a fuck about any sports. Then, when I was seven or eight years old, my family took me to a Laker game at the Forum. I saw Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Byron Scott, AC Green, Rambis, Michael Cooper, and Pat Riley in front of my eyes. It blew me away, and I've been a fan ever since. I stayed loyal and completely interested through the (relative) dark years. Nick Van Exel. Eddie Jones. Divac (who I always hated, even when he was on my team).

So, let me get that out of the way first.

Plenty of people in LA hate the Lakers, too. There are numerous basketball fans who were born and raised here who hate this team. For the local Laker haters (who aren't transplants supporting their original hometown team), the Clippers have always been the team of choice. The team of contrarians. It was cute for a while, because the team never stood a chance. Go on with your bullshit underdog act, it doesn't bother me. But this year, their shit-talking increased. Hell, there are transplants who've lived here less than 10 years who are suddenly huge Clipper fans.

It's these bandwagoners that really solidify my hate for the Clippers.

Exceptions certainly exist: one of my good friends has been a lifelong Clips fan. His dad took him to games when he was a kid the same way my family took me to Laker games. He's stayed loyal to the team through it all, and yes, he talks a ton of shit on the Lakers. And he can, and I take it. I talk shit back, and we mutually respect and enjoy each others' fanaticism. We'll watch at least one or two Clips/Lakers games every year, and it's a blast. I love talking basketball with the guy.

But these bandwagoners? Fuck these people. Fuck these transplants who have never once had a single conversation about basketball with me, only to suddenly start texting me this year to talk shit. To hate on the Lakers. To give juice to the Clippers. Fuck you, you contrarian, bandwagoning fucks.

I love Chris Paul, and I think it's great that he's on this team.

I fucking hate Blake Griffin. Dude has consistently rubbed me the wrong way, even last season. Also, fuck Nick Young, Kenyon Martin, and Mo Williams.

Lastly, Donald Sterling is THE WORST owner in the NBA. How are you going to own an NBA basketball team and carry out racist policies for the apartment buildings that you own, against the African American and Latino communities of Los Angeles?

Or, just listen to Elgin Baylor, former Clippers GM, talk about Sterling:

" . . . players Sam Cassell, Elton Brand and Corey Maggette complained to me that DONALD STERLING would bring women into the locker room after games, while the players were showering, and make comments such as, 'Look at those beautiful black bodies.' I brought this to Sterling's attention, but he continued to bring women into the locker room."

Most NBA owners are shmucks, but this guy makes the rest of them look like a swell bunch.

The Lakers have brought more championships to this town than all of its other sports teams combined. Hate from people in other cities, fans of franchises from other cities, I understand. But the Clippers are the team of hometown haters and bandwagoning transplants who aspire to mediocrity. They can all go get fucked.